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FloraVista

groundcover

Japanese pachysandra

Pachysandra terminalis

Preview: plant data is awaiting horticulturist review. A professional horticulturist hasn't reviewed our plant table yet. Lists still follow fixed rules for zone, sun, pets, deer and invasive status.

Hardy in zones 4–8, Japanese pachysandra is an evergreen groundcover. It grows 6–9 in tall and 1–1.5 ft wide, so plant it 0.75 ft apart. Give it part shade to shade and average water. It flowers white in April. In a FloraVista list it usually plays the edge role: a low plant that finishes the front edge. Deer usually leave it alone, and it is toxic to dogs and cats. Our rules leave it out of lists in Florida and the Gulf, Texas and the South-Central states and the Desert Southwest, where summer heat, humidity or mild winters hold it back even inside its zone range.

Invasive warning: listed as invasive, noxious or banned in Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and District of Columbia. FloraVista never puts it on a list for a yard in those states. Check your state's list before planting.

Facts from our plant table

Botanical name
Pachysandra terminalis
Plant type
Groundcover, evergreen
Hardiness zones
4 to 8
Sun
Part shade (2–4 hours); Shade (under 2 hours)
Water
Medium
Soil
Acidic, humus-rich soil; yellows in sun or alkaline soil.
Mature size
6–9 in tall × 1–1.5 ft wide
Spacing
0.75 ft apart (centre to centre)
Growth rate
Medium
Bloom
Apr · white
Roles in a bed
Edge
Styles
classic, modern
Deer resistance
High: deer rarely eat it
Pets
Toxic to dogs and cats. ASPCA entry not confirmed; vet references report mild stomach upset. Marked toxic.
Native to
Not native to the US (or a garden hybrid)
Pot size and price
4-inch pot, typically $3–$6 (easy to find)
Plant in
Spring or Fall
First-year watering
Water deeply once or twice a week through the first summer, more in heat; keep the soil evenly moist but not soggy. Established plants need water only in dry spells.
Pruning
No pruning; mow high after a hard winter to renew.

Sources: Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder; state extension service fact sheets; ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant list; Rutgers NJAES deer resistance ratings; state extension service; Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States; state noxious weed and invasive plant lists; US garden-centre and home-improvement retail listings (general knowledge, 2026 estimate). Not yet reviewed by a horticulturist.

Good companions

The plants our list engine most often puts in the same bed as Japanese pachysandra, across the sun, zone, pet, deer and style combinations it fits.

If you can't find it

Substitutes our engine offers for Japanese pachysandra: same role in the bed, passing the same rules.

How this page was made

This page was generated from this plant's record in FloraVista's plant table by fixed rules. The companions and substitutes come from the lists our rules engine composes. No named expert has reviewed this page.

Data status: the plant table is awaiting review by a horticulturist. Check each plant with a local nursery or extension office before you buy.

Sources

  • Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder, state extension services and the USDA PLANTS database (zones, size, sun, water, bloom, native range)
  • ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant lists (dog and cat toxicity)
  • Rutgers NJAES and regional extension deer-resistance ratings
  • State noxious-weed and invasive-plant lists and the Invasive Plant Atlas of the US
  • Typical US garden-centre listings (pot size and price band)

Generated . How FloraVista chooses plants